Pieces of Time
by Mentally-Unstable
Summary: Two men. Three Women. Someone's bound to be left out in the cold...Kurt, AJ, Karen, Team 3D, Melony, and Autumn. Others included.
1. Wish I May

**Fandom:** Wrestling(TNA)

**Title**: Pieces of Time

**Rating:** M

**Genre:** Drama/Romance

**Summary:** Two men. Three Women. Someone's bound to be left out in the cold... Kurt, AJ, Karen, Team 3D, Melony, and Autumn. Others included.

**Notes:** Based on a prompt from CenasNakedInMyBedWithMe–a "sneek peek" from the Binder '08. Rated M for (in CNIMBWM's words) "hot sex on a platter" and language. And Brother Ray will be referred to as "Bubba" at times because, well, it's just easier....

—

_01._ _Wish I May_

The scene was scripted. The fan's reactions were to be expected--laughter, shock, a combination of cheers and boos(mostly cheers). But in the ring, the reactions were all too real. _Her_ reaction was all too real. She knew that. And she knew her husband knew that.

But did AJ know that?

Karen Angle fought back tears as she remembered the incident. It had been nearly a month since she and AJ's scripted vows. A month since he'd grabbed her and kissed her with more passion than she'd felt in years. It was the most she'd gotten since her husband dragged her into his so-called "profession" and deep down she knew it wasn't even real. But that didn't stop her from wanting more. It didn't stop her from thinking about it every second, or wishing that there was even a remote chance of a life for her with AJ Styles. Her marriage had been falling apart for the past several years and she'd just chosen to ignore it. If she could get out of it now, could she have the life she wanted, with the man she wanted? She hated the wrestling lifestyle that Kurt had dragged her into. She just wanted a simple life with a man she loved, with a man who loved her. Maybe even as a beautician, like she'd wanted way back when she was a teenager. When did her life turn into _this_?

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up as her husband, Kurt Angle, pushed the door open and peeked in, "Hey, Kare. AJ and Gail are waiting--you guys are supposed to head to the ring in a few minutes."

Karen nodded, forcing a smile, "Ok, baby. Thanks." She'd gotten so good at faking, she realized with a pang of guilt. Sometimes she wondered if she tried harder, would her marriage not be so miserable? But when she thought of all the things she'd sacrificed for Kurt, all she'd given up and all she'd done, she realized it wasn't anywhere near her fault. It was all his. Kurt was to blame for pushing her into the arms of another man. Even if it was just in some stupid storyline.

A few minutes after Kurt left, Karen met up with AJ outside his dressing room. He and Gail Kim were in a mixed tag match against Devon Dudley and Angelina Love, and Karen was supposed to escort them to the ring. He smiled at her as she approached and she felt her breath catch in her throat, "Hey Karen. You ready for tonight?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I guess." She shrugged, "I'm not looking forward to the table, though." She shivered, and AJ laid an arm on her shoulder, "Don't worry--Devon's real good, ok? You won't feel a thing."

She sighed, the southern accent in his deep voice seemingly making everything better, "Alright. If you say so, AJ."

---

Kurt watched his wife prancing up to AJ and felt his blood boil. He knew their marriage was fragile, and that Karen had gone to extreme lengths to make him jealous before, but this one was definitely the most extreme. He'd seen her reaction when Styles kissed her in the ring, and it was a reaction he knew couldn't be faked. She complained about being in the wrestling business to him all day and all night, but not when she was anywhere near AJ. If she could stand near AJ and look pretty, Kurt guessed she was happy. But he wasn't having it. He had let his wife walk over him one too many times, and yet she had the nerve to blame him for all the problems in their marriage. He had to go and get ready for his blind date segment with Brother Ray, but there were certain things he needed to finalize. AJ was ultimately uninterested in Karen, but that didn't stop her, and Kurt had a plan to put her in her place. He pulled out his cell phone, checked to make sure he hadn't missed any calls and then checked his call log to get the appropriate number. The phone rang a couple times before a tired voice answered, _"Hello?"_

"It's me. I just wanted to check on your progress. Where are you?"

_"I just landed at Orlando International. The driver's loading up my luggage. Thank you for the limo, by the way. Nice touch."_

"Only the best. Wait until you see the apartment."

_"I told you a hotel would be fine."_

"There's no telling how long you'll be here, you know. Just get settled and I'll call you later so we can go over everything."

_"Kurt, are you sure you know what you're doing? What we're getting into?"_

Kurt let out a sigh, "Honestly, no. But thank you for agreeing, nonetheless."

—

AJ couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sound of Karen's whining coming from behind the door to the medical room. Devon had put her through the table, just like it was planned, and AJ always gave Devon props for being careful, and he had been especially careful with Karen. Devon's hands and arms had protected most of her backside, and her head hadn't even touched the table or the mat, yet she was complaining to the medical crew of the "worst headache" of her life. AJ ran his fingers through his hair and looked up just as Kurt approached, "Hey, man."

"Hey Styles." Kurt made a face and pointed to the door, "Karen ok? I saw the match. Everything went down fine."

AJ nodded, "Yeah, she's fine. No offense, Kurt, but you and I both know your wife's flair for the dramatic."

Kurt allowed a small smile to cross his lips as he shrugged and nodded in agreement, "You don't even know the half of it, Styles."

AJ let out a small laugh, shaking his head, "I bet. Hey man, I got it here. Your segments up next. I hear from a reliable source that your 'blind date' is a looker tonight."

"Really?" Kurt frowned, "They keep me out of that loop. Personally, I'd like to pick my own blind dates but..."

"Tonight, people are talkin' a lot more than usual, Kurt. There's a rumor going around, too. I don't know how much truth there is to it, though." AJ held up his hands, and Kurt pressed him on, "What kinda rumor, Styles?"

AJ shrugged, "That it's someone everybody will recognize."

—

Kurt paced the gorilla area, nervously tapping the empty bottle of water on the palm of his hand before tossing it on the ground and rubbing his head. AJ's mention of rumors had started his mind reeling, when there very well could be nothing to any of it. He'd talked to Bubba earlier, and he hadn't mentioned anything weird, so there was a good chance it all just a rumor, like Styles had said. When Kurt heard his music hit, he took a deep breath, swallowed, and headed out to the ring. He did his usual bit, and then Brother Ray came out, microphone in hand as he jumped in the ring. "Alright, Kurt, alright, everybody listen up!" Bubba gave Kurt a look that seemed like it was a warning, "Tonight, my friend, you're got yourself a goddess, or so I've heard. Granted, I haven't actually _seen_ her..." Again, that look, and Kurt gave him a nod to confirm that he understood. "What do you mean you haven't _seen_ her?" Kurt improvised, and Bubba held up his hand, "Whoa, calm down, Angle. Devon picked her out earlier and he wanted it to be a surprise, for everybody." Bubba was improvising as well, and was trying to get along with the segment as quickly as possible. "Now Kurt, I give to you, for your viewing pleasure--and any other pleasure you may choose--your date for tonight!"

Bubba spun around and pointed to the ramp, and the music hit. Only it wasn't the cheesy porno music that usually accompanied the women. It was a song that seemed so familiar to Kurt, yet he couldn't quite place it in his mind. Until he saw her come out of the tunnel. A microphone in hand, her long legs astride as she stopped in the middle of the ramp to acknowledge the fans, who recognized her as well and were now going crazy. Once her eyes landed on him, their gazes locked immediently, never straying as she continued down the ring and walked up the steel steps and entered the TNA ring. Bubba stared at her with wide eyes, and Kurt's mind was reeling. She stepped up to him, flipping her shoulder-length red hair before bringing the mic up to her lips, "Hey, Kurt. How have you been?"

Kurt managed to sweep his gaze over the crowd for a moment before returning his gaze to her blue-grey eyes, still as stunning as he remembered from their days in the WWE, "Fine, sweetheart." He cleared his throat, "How have you been, Melony?"


	2. Always Around

_02. Always Around_

---

Kurt continued to stare at her in disbelief, all throughout the segment. And since he hadn't been forewarned of her appearance, he had to fake his way through the entire eight minutes, stumbling over his words and trying to regain his composure, all the while fighting not to yell "what the hell are you doing here?". It wasn't that he was unhappy to see her, it was that he was _shocked_ to see her, and therefore, didn't know _how_ to feel about seeing her.

Once their segment was through and they were all backstage again, Melony had disappeared without a word and Kurt was busy pacing his dressing room, his mind reeling. Who would contact her? Who would bring her into this storyline, knowing the storyline that had went on in their real lives? It had to be someone who actually _knew_ said real -life storyline. And that was a handful of people from their WWE days, none of whom he'd had any contact with in ages.

He looked up at the knock on his door and in stepped Bubba, "Kurt, I didn't know..."

Kurt held up a hand, "I know, man, it's good. My question is, who the hell brought her here?"

Bubba shrugged, "I don't know, Kurt. And now I can't find her." He looked up, watching Kurt continue to pace, "You happy to see her?"

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks and locked eyes with Bubba, "I have no idea."

---

Autumn had arrived at the apartment a while ago and settled in, choosing to attempt to relax in front of the tv as she waited for Kurt's phone call. But she couldn't relax, and suddenly, there was nothing on three hundred channels that even remotely interested her. She ended up sitting at the window and staring out at the cityscape before her.

Knowing _he_ was somewhere out there, within a cab ride's distance of her, made her so nervous her stomach was doing flips. She felt like she was car sick and yet, she was completely stationary. What had she gotten herself into? When Kurt Angle had contacted her, and given her a proposition of all she'd ever wanted with the possibilities of a life with a man she'd let slip away, she thought he was insane. But she never said no. Always an "I'll think about it" or a "maybe" or an "I'm still deciding, and I'll get back to you". There was so much to consider. For one, all the pain and all the drama could follow such an action. Would _he_ even want to see her again after all these years? She hadn't seen him since before his Ring of Honor days, after all. Who know if he still even felt for her what a small part of her still felt for him? And second, why was Kurt Angle so anxious to play matchmaker? And why did he even care whether or not she ever stepped foot in a ring again? He wouldn't tell her over the phone. She wasn't sure if he even planned on telling her at all. It was all a risk, whatever the reason, and she was mentally kicking herself for ever agreeing to it. But it wasn't too late. She could get a cab, hop back on a plane, change her phone number and never have to hear from Kurt Angle again or ever even think about facing the past she'd tried so hard to forget.

From the table, an annoying chime began to ring in her ears and she winced. It had to be Kurt. There was no escaping now.

---

Kurt went over the details with his "contact" over the phone as quickly as he possibly could. He was ready to get out of there and head home, to the warm comforts of his bed. He was dead-tired, and the "surprise" from earlier that night had drained him completely. When the call was over he chunked the phone in his gym bag and slung it over his shoulder. He'd decided he'd shower when he got home, and as he turned to head out the door he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hi, Kurt."

He let out a sigh, allowing the gym bag to slide off his shoulder and onto the floor as he stared at her, "Hey Melony."

Melony stepped into the room, biting her bottom lip nervously as she tried to decide what would be the appropriate reaction to seeing him again for the first time, not in front of the camera. She closed her eyes and threw her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder, "Sorry if I surprised you."

He let out a small laugh, sliding his arms around her waist to return to embrace, "Surprise is an understatement, Mel. More like shock. Disbelief. Or, I guess hallucination would probably be more appropriate."

She laughed, shaking her head as she pulled away from him, and he looked her over, "You look good, Mel. You haven't changed."

"Gee, thanks." She scoffed, and Kurt shook his head, "No, that's a good thing!" He reassured her, and tried to think of a way to ease into what he really wanted to know. She looked up at him and their eyes locked, "I know Kurt. Why am I here?"

"Well...yeah." He shrugged. Melony shook her head, "I missed the business, Kurt. WWE screwed me over and I didn't think I'd have another chance. I've been following TNA closely for a while, and finally decided I wanted in."

"That's it? You just _'wanted in'_?"

"Well, I've been in talks for a while and the deal was just finalized a few days ago. For reasons I'm sure you're aware, I asked for them to be discreet. I didn't want you flipping out."

"And you think just showing up during a taping _wouldn't_ make me flip out?"

She smiled, "I figured you'd try harder to mantain yourself."

He nodded in agreement, his thoughts wandering back to their days in the WWE and a certain element to the story that he'd tried to block out. Drama for the sake of storyline was one thing, but their drama had leaked into their personal lives and the repurcussions were great. Mostly for Melony, he realized with disdain. He cleared his throat nervously and looked at her, "Mel, have you talked to...?"

"No." She said sharply, sucking in a deep breath, "I've been avoiding that part. I know it's inevitable."

"He's always around." Kurt nodded, reaching out to grasp his hand in hers, "He still doesn't know the whole story. He doesn't know why it ended."

"I _know_ that." She averted her gaze from his eyes, focusing to linger on their intertwined hands. "I guess he just thinks...well, I don't know what he thinks."

Kurt opened his mouth to speak when the door flew open and Karen stormed in. Kurt guessed she was ready to complain about how she 'wasn't a wrestler' and how this 'crappy lifestyle' just wasn't what was intended for someone like her. But seeing Melony shut her already open mouth and she glanced at Kurt, "What's going on?"

Melony pulled her hand away from Kurt's grasped and smiled softly, "It was nice catching up, Kurt. I'll see you later." She glanced at Karen as she pushed her way past and Karen stared up at Kurt with a raised eyebrow, "That's her, isn't it? The same one from the WWE."

Kurt was silent, and Karen shook her head, "Jesus, Kurt, if you're going to cheat, you could at least be a little discreet about it."

"I never cheated, Karen. Not once. Did I think about it? Yeah. Did I seriously consider it? Yeah. But I _never_ cheated on you. And don't talk to me about discreet. Not the way you prance around Styles."

"Don't even go there, Kurt. It's your fault for dragging me into this! I never asked for this, _any_ of this! And you know what? It's nice to get a little appreciation from someone. Even if it _is_ scripted!"

Kurt glared at her, picking up his back, "I'll meet you at the car, _Karen._" He spat her name and stormed out, leaving her alone to brood.

---

She hoped to God he was still in the arena somewhere. She knew he'd more than likely stick around to talk to his buddies or sign autographs or just to hang out in general. He was weird that way. She smiled as she remembered their time together. She was in love with him back then. Truly, madly in love with him. A part of her still loved him and would always care about him, but the passion was gone. She knew she could never love him the way she used to even if she tried, but she knew she'd hurt him and she wanted to make up for that if she could. She needed to mend broken paths, and he was number one on her list. She turned the corner and came face to door with the door of his dressing room and she sucked in a deep breath. He'd surely seen her segment with Kurt. What was going on in his mind? Would he slam the door in her face if he was even in there? Would he give her a hug and they'd catch up like old friends? Or would he shove past her and refuse to speak? Melony closed her eyes as she raised her hand and knocked on the door, waiting a few moments without a sound from the other side of the door. Just as she turned to leave, she heard the door open and she stopped. She heard him fidgeting, taking a deep breath and sighing, "Hey, Mel. Long time no see."

He didn't _sound_ angry. She put on a small smile and turned around, looking up into his eyes, "Hey, Christian."


	3. Reunions

****

Pieces of Time

__

03. Reunions

---

Christian reached up, nervously scratching the back of his head, "I didn't know what to think when I saw you tonight, Mel." He looked into her eyes and shrugged, "You didn't tell anybody, I know, because I would've heard about it if you had."

Melony shook her head, "I'm sorry, Christian. I guess I didn't want everyone to know because..." She sighed, "I don't know. I just wanted to show up and be here. I didn't think about the repercussions or what anyone would think."

"You never did think about that kind of stuff. You never cared." He smiled, a true genuine smile before stepping closer to her and wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace, "It's good to see you, Mel. I've missed you."

She returned the embrace and let out a small laugh as she fought back tears, "I've missed you too." She pulled away and looked up at him, "There's so much I have to explain. To apologize for..."

He held up his hand to stop her, "It was a long time ago, Mel. I've moved on. Right now, I'm just glad to be talking to you--as one of my best friends. You always were, and you always will be. What happened, happened. It's in the past. Right now all I have to say is..." He extended his hand to her, "Welcome to TNA."

She smiled, shaking his hand, "Thank you, Christian. I'm happy to be here."

He nodded, "I'm heading home, but...I want to talk to you, Mel. Sometime. _Any_ time." He glanced away in thought and looked back at her, "How about tomorrow? There's bar..."

She laughed, "There's _always_ a bar when you're left up to the planning!"

He shook his head, "No, I'm serious! A lot of us go there after tapings and just hang out. I'll give you directions if you want."

She nodded, and after he even took the liberty to draw out a makeshift map on a piece of paper he had in his pocket, they hugged, exchanged friendly kisses on the cheek, and went their separate ways. When she was sure he was gone, Melony let out a deep breath and sighed, smiling softly to herself. She didn't think it would've gone that smoothly. He really had moved on, she guessed. Maybe she hadn't burned him as bad as she thought. But then again, he was right--it was a long time ago. Maybe time did heal all wounds.

---

The next day came faster than she thought, and Autumn had to resist the urge to vomit as soon as she woke up. Kurt had given her clear and concise instructions as to where to go and what to do--she even had to go through the back entrance of the building in case anyone saw her. Granted, there was a very slim chance that anyone but _him_ would recognize her, so she didn't see the point, but Kurt insisted on being careful.

Then she was supposed to hide out in a dressing room at the end of the hall and wait for his cue. But what was she supposed to do with her nerves until then? She was going crazy. She felt scared, excited, weak, and sick all at the same time. Thousands of 'what if' scenarios flooded through her head and she had to fight to try and stop them. But she couldn't. There were so many things that could happen when they saw each other again for the first time in this long of a time. Would it be good, would it be bad, would they be so different now that it would feel like two different people? Strangers? She shook her head. He could never be a stranger to her. But she couldn't speak from his point of view, so she didn't know.

The honking outside signaled to her that the cab had arrived and she headed out, stopping in front of the mirror to check and make sure she looked alright before she picked up her messenger bag and left the apartment.

---

Once Autumn was settled comfortably in her make-shift dressing room, Kurt returned to his just as Karen was getting ready to go out on the mic and run her mouth. _What she's best at_ he thought as he entered. Karen merely glared at him, as she was still pissed at him for the night before when she'd "caught" he and Melony "together". Frankly, Kurt thought she was just trying to catch him in a compromising position. She didn't have the guts to just divorce him, she wanted him to do something horrible to push her away. Kurt rolled his eyes at the thought as he pushed past her and picked up his suit jacket and pulled it on. He had a small segment with Team 3D, and then he was in the main event, which was a three-way tag--him and Team 3D against AJ Styles and the Motor City Machine Guns. The plan was for Team 3D to over-dominate MMG and then Kurt was going to illegally beat the shit out of Styles while the ref tried to keep Brother Ray and Brother Devon from literally ripping apart Sabin and Shelley. "Please go easy on him, Kurt." Karen had whined to him earlier, and that was all she'd spoken to him since the previous night. He would like to brutally take it to Styles for Karen's viewing pleasure, but it wasn't AJ's fault that Karen got storylines confused with reality in her warped mind.

Once Karen left the dressing room, Kurt let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the couch, running his hands over his face. He hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night as he had been plagued with thoughts of Melony, and what her being in the company meant for him. He cared about her too much, he realized. And he knew Karen realized that as well, but he didn't give a damn. If her ass wanted to divorce him because of it, that was totally fine with him.

He shook his head to try and clear his mind as he stood up and approached the door, only to hear someone knocking. He opened it and let out a sigh, smiling down at Melony, "Hey. I was just thinking about you."

Melony grinned, "Can I come in?"

He nodded and ushered her in, closing the door and turning to face her, "What's up?"

She shrugged, looking up at him, "I talked to Christian last night before he left."

Kurt swallowed, "And?"

She laughed, "He was completely fine. He treated me like an old friend as opposed to a cold bitch who broke his heart."

Kurt made a face as he walked over and slipped an arm around her shoulders, "Don't talk about yourself that way. There's so much more to the story. It's like you did it all by yourself."

"But nothing's changed, Kurt. You're still with Karen, just like you were then. And I still..." She averted her gaze from him, and he pulled her closer to his body, "You still what, Mel?"

She sighed, fighting back tears as she locked eyes with him, "I still love you, Kurt. As much as I did the day I walked away from Christian and away from the WWE."

He realized how much it hurt her to admit that, and he shook his head as he smiled down at her. He didn't need to reply with words. He pulled her into his embrace and cupped the back of her head, kissing her with a passion and intensity that literally left her dizzy.

---

His match was the last match, and Autumn watched it intently in the back. She'd followed his career almost pathetically and was almost ashamed to say she was proud to watch him become what he has. Was she jealous? Yes. Angry? Yes. She was right beside him when they were first starting out, and they promised to climb the top with each other. But his opportunities came much faster than hers, and he had to take them. He couldn't afford to wait for someone to notice her talents as well. But it wasn't all his fault--she'd persuaded him to take the first deal that came his way if that was what he wanted. And he had taken the first one he thought he deserved. And she'd been left in the dust. He hadn't meant to leave her alone, she knew that now. But it was inevitable.

He lost the match and was bloodied and beaten to a pulp and had to be helped backstage. Autumn kept glancing at her phone, waiting for the text message that told her it was time but she was never a patient person. She tossed her phone down and marched out of the dressing room. She was nowhere ready for this confrontation and wasn't sure if she would ever be but it was about to go down and she could feel her heart beating in her throat because she was so nervous. She rounded a few corners and heard him yelling to the doctors, telling them he was alright and just needed to sit down and for them not to worry. Stubborn and strong, she thought with a smile. Same as always.

She rounded the final corner and saw him kneeling on the floor in front of the medical room, his back to her, holding an ice pack to the back of his head as a doctor inspected the gash on his forehead. "I said I'm fine, John. I don't need stitches--just bandage it up."

"AJ." She said, and while she meant to say it defiantly it came out more as a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat loudly and tried again, "AJ!"

AJ Styles was standing upright before she could blink. He'd frozen, confused and probably thinking he was delusional. Slowly, he turned around and faced her, and the shock that registered on his face couldn't ever be described in words. "Autumn?"

Autumn bit her lip to fight back tears as she took a few careful steps forward, "You were great out there..."

"What are you doing here?" His blue eyes sparkled, his smile widened and she wasn't sure if he _was_ delusional or if he was confused or genuinely happy to see her, "What are you doing here?" He repeated and before she could respond he'd pulled her into his arms and had lifted her off the ground. He held her tightly against his body, pressing his face into her hair as his hold tightened. Blood and sweat poured off him and onto her clothes, but neither seemed to notice.

"AJ!" A voice rang out through the hallways, and Karen stumbled down the hallway in her heels, "AJ! Are you ok?!"


	4. Bittersweet

****

Pieces of Time

__

04. Bittersweet

---

Karen nearly fell over on her face as she skidded to a stop, staring with her mouth hanging open at the sight before her. AJ didn't even look up when she called him. And who the hell was the woman who was hanging all over him? Karen had never seen AJ with a woman before, especially not like this. He was never in a relationship, yet he wasn't a playboy. Once, she'd taken the chance and asked him if he was gay to which he'd replied with a hearty laugh and a smile and said he was just "waiting for the right woman to come along". Karen's hopes had soared and she'd wished to God she could be that woman.

From the looks of the scene unfolding before her, that was very unlikely. In a huff, Karen stormed past AJ and the mystery brunette, heels clanking on the concrete floor as she made her way back to her dressing room.

---

Still reeling from the kiss with Kurt earlier, Melony managed to regain her composure long enough to cut the promo she was scheduled for and then find her way to the bar after the show to meet up Christian. He had already arrived and was waiting for her in a booth in the back, dressed in a simple black suit jacket over a striped shirt and blue jeans. He looked so suave, she thought, and so grown up compared to the goofy kid he'd seemed to be when she first met him back when WWE had been WWF. He stood up when she approached and gave her a quick hug before they both sat down, and Christian beckoned the waiter over so they could order their drinks. He settled on a beer and she went with a margarita, and then they settled down to catch up.

Mostly they reminisced. Flashing back to old times and when they'd first met, how it was like a romantic comedy. They couldn't stand each other until Edge tricked them into riding together and the rest was history. Melony laughed at the thought, "His ass was always up to something."

Christian shook his head, "You remember when we all chipped in and rented that house on the beach and Edge set Kurt's milk out so it would spoil, and then Kurt poured himself a _huge_ glass and started gulping it down?"

Melony burst out laughing, "And he was sitting at the table across from Trish and he spit it out _all_ over her face!"

Christian was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes, "Oh man! That was priceless!"

"I don't think she _ever_ forgave him for that, either!" Melony shook her head, stifling a giggle as she took a sip of her drink, "Our past is full of stuff like that."

"We should write a book or make a movie, or something. We'd be rich!" Christian finished off his beer and motioned to the waiter that he wanted another, "Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to give you something."

Melony raised an eyebrow, "Give me something?"

He nodded as he reached into his jacket pocket, "Yeah. And I don't want you to think I'm trying to damper the mood or anything. It's just something I think you should have."

Mel felt her heart sink as Christian set the black velvet box in the middle of the table. "You kept it?"

He shrugged as he stared at it for a moment and then locked eyes with her, "I couldn't throw it away, Mel. I couldn't pawn it or sell it. You wore it on your finger for a year. It was _yours_. I had to keep it." He smiled bittersweetly, "It's just been in a box in the closet. I figure it's your turn now." He winked.

Melony reached over and picked it up, opening it to admire the four-carat diamond engagement ring with a sapphire outline. She quickly shut it and held it tightly in her hand, "Christian...I owe you so many apologies. There's so much that I need to explain, so much I need to atone for."

Christian shook his head, leaning across the table and taking her hand in both of his and squeezing tightly, "I've already said it, Mel, it was a long time ago. And it would be childish for either of us to hold anything against one another. Looking back on it now, I know I probably screwed up along the way..."

"No, you didn't."

"Yeah I did. I'm sure I did." He smiled at her, "It's all behind us, Mel. Now let's just have a drink and celebrate your newfound glory with TNA, alright?"

She laughed and nodded, choking back tears as she slipped the velvet box into her purse and picked up her drink.

---

After the initial shock(and after Autumn convinced him to get stitches), AJ cleaned himself up and threw on a t-shirt and jeans before leaving the arena to meet up with her at a local bar. He had a hell of a hard time even letting go of her, and the only reason he agreed to meet her somewhere is so he could have time to process how he felt about the entire thing. He hadn't seen her in well over ten years, and had known her since college. Their relationship was the strongest possible, through thick and thin, and there was no doubt they had always been in love. But it wasn't easy maintaining it, especially since they both had the same dreams and goals, and one of them was bound to outshine the other. In their case, it was him. Once his career started picking him, she followed him as much as she could, and eventually they just drifted apart. With him in Ring of Honor and her still working the indy scene, it was hard to stay together and eventually it just all fell apart.

AJ hadn't risked a serious relationship since Autumn, except for one which failed miserably, and only _because_ of Autumn. She was the one he could never let go of, and couldn't move on because of it. After time, he managed to block it all out and focus on his career and enjoy the life he was leading. But now that she'd come back into his life, it all come flooding back and hit him in the face like a brick. A part of him worried as to _why_ she had returned without a warning, but the rest of him didn't care. A part of him was so unbelievably happy she was back, and yet the rest of him was scared stiff. Basically, he was two people when it came to how he felt about her.

As he drove to the bar, a bolt of fear struck through him. What did you say to someone you hadn't seen in ten years, but knew you still loved? How was he supposed to feel about all of it? He was too damn conflicted to know exactly how he felt. And honestly, too damn afraid to even face her.

---

After a few more drinks, Melony called it a night and returned to the hotel room she was staying at until she could locate an apartment to serve as her home away from home when she was taping Impact. She was dead-tired and barely changed clothes before collapsing on the bed for a good night's sleep. But something always seemed to interrupt her just as she started to doze, and tonight, it was her cell phone. Normally, she would've ignored it, but, thinking it could be Kurt, she decided to answer it. "Hello?"

__

"Nice job, so far. Either you're in it to win it, or you're a helluva good actress."

Melony rolled her eyes, "I'm not acting. And despite what your sick mind thinks, I'm not trying to help _you_. You, I couldn't care less about. You know why I agreed to this."

__

"Because it's better for all parties involved, blah blah. Just remember that if I don't get what I want, you don't either. There's another element to this plan, don't forget that."

"Huh, pretty good sentence structure. You got your thesaurus there beside you, or did you just make notes while you were watching _General Hospital_?"

__

"Just look out for my call tomorrow. There's something you need to take care of if you want to get what you want."

"You're not the boss here. You don't tell me what to do, you don't control me in any way whatsoever. I can be on a plane to California tomorrow and everything for you will fall through tot he ground. You need me. I'm only helping you so I can get what _I_ want." Mel spat into the phone before ending the call, turning the phone off, and tossing it back into her bag before lying down and unsuccessfully trying to get some sleep.


End file.
